After Wireless Generation said no, I spent an hour in prideful self pity. Once I was done, the Lord took me right to Hebrews 12. And, it stuck hard. I took a 2 hour nap and know that He made some serious soul changes. Bless God.
Here is the study on His point from Heb 12. It starts as a follow up to Hebrews 11, the famous passage on Faith.
v6 “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarded of those who diligently seek Him.”
v38 “of whom the world was not worthy.”
Given all that was going on with the giants of faith in Hebrews 11, we are told
“THEREFORE WE ALSO, since we are SURROUNDED by so GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensares us, and let us run with ENDURANCE the RACE that is SET BEFORE US.” v1
We experience the stuff that we experience because God is drawing an audience to Himself through us. All of the folks around us are a cloud of witnesses that are carefully watching what we do.
And we can expect great persecution and pain from those around us. v36-37 in Hebrews 11 says that they were mocked, scourged, imprisoned, stoned, sawn in two and slain by the sword. That’s just the tip.
And we are commanded to lay all the junk aside, including our own sin, and finish the race. But, this is a special race. We didnt start this race. It was “set before us”. This race is of God. He is moving us along gathering a great cloud around us. Great = “so great” or “so many”.
God sets before us a race that is guaranteed to have its ups and downs. He does this and allows many others to watch. They witness His greatness through our lives.
v2 “looking unto Jesus” This is our key. We must, must keep our eyes on Christ. He started this. He authored our faith and HE will finish it. And the issue goes on because we are contrasted to His events on the cross. He endured all of that in joy. Yikes!
v3 If we keep our consideration on Him and His sufferings, it will keep away discouragement and weariness in ours.
“For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.”
v4 We havent yet shed our blood in our attempts to fight against sin. Compare yourself to that.
v5
1) Dont despise the Lord’s chastening
2) Dont be discouraged by His rebuke
v6 He chastens His loved ones and scourges every son whom He receives.
Jesus was scourged beyond recognition, and it carried the weight of our afflictions. It was this scourging that brought our healing from sickness and disease. Is 53.
v7 “If you endure chastening, God deals with you as sons;” v8 If not, you are “illigitimate”. Ishmael was illigitimate.
v10 The PURPOSE of this chastening is for OUR PROFIT that we may PARTAKE of HIS HOLINESS
v11 Now no chastening (discipline) seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peacable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it”
1) There is no joy in chastening, while it happens.
2) It hurts.
3) Righteousness is the fruit of discipline from God (assuming that you have been trained accordingly).
v12 THEREFORE:
1) strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees.
2) make straight paths for your feet
SO that what is LAME may HEALED
v14 PURSUE PEACE with ALL people and HOLINESS, without which NO ONE will SEE the LORD
v29 For our God is a consuming fire.